Hook coupling



Patented Jan. 8, 1946 UNITED ,S-'IfliTlS PATENT OFFICE l 2,392,368 noonooUPLING Peter r. Dilbert, Reading, .omo

Application August '29, 1944, Serial No. 551,764

` romans (o1. 28osaisi l (Granted undentlie act of :March l3, 1883, asamended April 31),.1928;V 3.70 0. G. 757) The invention vdescribedherein may be `vmanufactured and used by or 'for the Government forgovernmental purposes, without payment 'to k-rne of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to hook couplings but more particularlyto `that `'class wherein a llocking `means is provided to prevent theaccidental separation of the hook from the retaining eye.

One object -of the invention is to provide a safe, durable and easilyoperated coupling which is adaptable 'for coupling tractor trailertrains, and one which lcan be relied -upon to avoid the damaging ofsupplies caused by tow carts becoming unfas'tened while in transit.

Another object of' the invention is to provide couplings which can beused for the `operation of longer trains and thus eiect an appreciablesaving in man hours.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling device Aof theclass described, which is composed of few parts of simple constructionand which may be easily and cheaply manufactured.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts which |will be fully described and pointed out in the claimshereinafter. l

Referring to the iigures in which like parts are indicated by similarreference characters:

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the improved coupling connectingadjacent end portions of trucks of a trailer train; v

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the hook in engagement with theeye member, and with the keeper in locked position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the hook in engagement with theeye member, and the keeper in unlocked position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an end of the hook to illustratethe construction of the keeper barrel and to show the location andextension of the slot therein; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing one end of the keeper member.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numerals I0 and II indicaterespectively the hook and eye members of the coupling. The draft 0r hookmember I0 is composed of a yoke member having rearwardly extendingparallelly spaced arms 'I2 and I3 and a forwardly extending portionpositioned on the medium plane of the yoke which is formed as a hook I4.

The rearwardly extending arms I2 and I3 are each provided with alongitudinally .slotted opening |15 and I5' adjacent the rear ledsthereof. Theseslots are `adaptedto receive a bolt I6 which pivotallyconnects .the hook 'to 'supporting .members I'I, only one being shown,and which project from the body or chassis of a 'tractor or trailer. Theeye men'izber I I which the hook engages lis'fat'- tached to theadjacent 'vehicle in the train, 'the end portions of the vehicles being.indicated by the numerals I8 and I9 inFig. 1.

The hook M is provided with va bill 'portion 2l! which extends below theplane of the lower surfaces ofthe yarms I2 and I3.

The plane of the lower surface of the arms I2 and I3 extends beneath thebase portion vof' the hook as indicated iby the numeral 2l and 'tothlsportion 2I of the under surface is Welded a barrel or tubular sleevebearing 22 which is provided with a longitudinal slotted opening 23 atits forward end.

Within the barrel or cylindrical bearing 22'i's slidably and rotatablymounted akeeper or latch member 2'4 which is composed of 'a vcentralshank or shaft portion 25 having a rectangulaly shaped lug 26 projectingradially from one end thereof. A'fter mounting the shank within barrelor sleeve 22 the opposite end of said shaft "is turned in a circle to'form a handle 21which functions as a weight to retain the keeper vinlocked position as will be further described.

When the shaft 25 is pushed vfor-ward within the barrel 22 its forwardportion on which is formed the lug 26 closes the channel or hook.

opening 28. The channel 28 may be clearedor opened iby retracting theshaft 25v after it has been rotated within the barrel so that thelllg 2Gcan enter the slotted opening 23.

In the operation of lthe device the keeper l2i! must rst be in an openor retracted position, that is with the lug 26 within the slottedopening 23. When the lug is in this position, as shown in Fig. 3, itlies in a horizontal plane to the right of the center line of the shaft25, and the circular handle 21 lies in a perpendicular plane andprojects upwardly from the shaft. After engagement of the hook with eyemember II, the mouth or channel 28 of the hook is closed by pushing thehandle 2l forward until the lug 26 is moved out of the slotted opening23 in the barrel 22. The shaft is then rotated through until the lugprojects from the shaft 25 in a horizontal plane and to the left of theshaft, and the handle projects downwardly from the 'shaft in a verticalplane so that its weight remins diei-ug in the position into which ithas been moved.

With any irregular movement or jolting of the `trucks the couplingcannot become unlocked as deviceadapted to be associated .within saidbearing, said keeper being provided with a forward radially extendinglug adapted to slidably lit within said slot in said bearing when thekeeper is rotated to a position where it registers therewith to placethe latching mechanism in unlatched position, and a circular handleformed integral withfsaid shaft and projecting radially "therefromadapted byits weight to prevent the shaft fromrotatingV and theVregistra-y tion of said lug with said slot when the latching mechanismis in latched position.

- 5. A latching device for a draft coupling Y adapted to be associatedwith said coupling to close the channel of the'hook formed at one endmounted within -said sleevebearing adapted" to bridge the channel ofYsaid hook, andY gravity actuated means in connection withsaid slidingposition across the channel of said hook.

2.' A latching ,device adapted to ,be associated with a Y draft couplingincludingV a hook, said latching device including a cylindrical sleevehavmember adapted to retain said'member in closed 2o thereof, saiddevice comprising a sleeve connected to said coupling, and provided witha slot at one end thereof adjacent said channel, a keeper includingarshaft slidably and rotatably mounted within -said sleeve, said shaftbeing provided with a lug adapted to slidably t within said slot and ahandle adaptedto effectthe translation and rotation of said shafttoeffect the removalY of said lug from saidslot and its rotation withinthe ing a slot at the` forward end thereof, a keeper 25 o slidablyandrotatably mounted within said bear-- ing member said keeper beingadaptedrtc transverselybridge the channel ofsaid hook when'in lockedpositioma lug formed integral with said sleeve having a slot adjacentsaid channel, a'

keeperV and projecting radially from the forward i3l) end thereon-saidlug being adapted to enter said slotwhen the keeper is rotated toaposition s where it registers therewith to thereby clear said hookchannel to allow disengagement ofthe hook.

vhaving .a slot at the forward end thereof, said ,sleeve bearing beingattached to the lower'rsurlongitudinally extending shaft portionslidably i and rotatably mounted within said bearing, said keeperl beingprovided with a forward radially extending.. lug adapted to slidablyfitL within said slot when thelatching mechanism is in unlatched oposition, VVandra handle on said shaft projecting radially therefromadapted by its weight toY prevent the shaft from rotating Within thebearing when the latching kmechanism is in latched posi'- Ytion.

i 4. lA latching mechanism adaptedV to be asso-l V` ciatedwith a draftmechanism including a hook, "said latching mechanism comprising avsleeve bearing having a slot at its Vforward end,"said bearing beingattached `tothe lower portion of said draft coupling beneath the base ofsaid hook, a'kee'perrmember having a longitudinally extend-V ing shaftVportion slidably and rotatably mounted '3.A1atohing device adapted -toloeV associated Y11:55 with a draft coupling including a hook, a rsaidlatching mechanism comprisingra sleeve bearing o face of said draftcoupling, a keeper having a `f4.0

hook channel out of the path of said slot'.V

' 6.Y A latching device adapted to be vassociated with a draft vcouplingfor closing the hook channel thereof, ysaid device comprising aV sleeveadaptedto be connected'to saidcoupling, said keeper comprising a shaftadapted toV be slidably and rotatably ymounted within said sleeve,a

lug connected to one end of said shaft and adapted to s lidably ntwithin said slotV and'Y a; handle adapted by the aid of` gravity toretain said lug out of the path of said slot and across said vchannel toretainY said Yhook in locking engagement.

7. A latching'mechanism adapted to `befassom elated with a draftcoupling of the 'hook type, said latching Ymechanism comprising asleeveattached to said draftcouplingand provided with Y a longitudinal lateralslot at one end thereof adjacent the hookchannel of said coupling, akeeper member having a longitudinallyextending shaft portion slidablyand rotatably mountedwithin said Ysleevesaid keeper being provided witha forward radially extending lug rotatableY within said hookv channeland adapted to` beslidably retracted within said slot when the keeperisrotated to a position where said'lug registers there-l 0 'with to placethe latching mechanism in unlatched position,y and a .circularhandleformed Vintegralwith said shaft and projecting radially therefromadapted by itsrweighttoV prevent the shaft from rotating withinsaidrsleevey and the 'Y registration ofV said lug withV said slot whenthe latching'mechanism is in latched position. Y

V'PETER P. DILBERT.

